When you see mold, your first instinct may be to roll up your sleeves and do the job yourself. However, doing so can put you and your family at risk! Not only could you spread the mold, but you may not be treating the underlying issue—this means that mold is likely to return or spread.
Removing mold growth yourself could potentially cause health problems for you and other inhabitants. The process of effective mold removal can be both tedious and dangerous. It can even become more dangerous when not handled with the right equipment and protective gears.
"Cutting mold off slices and cooking with them is not advisable. Cooking kills mold, but the mycotoxins it can produce are still present. If someone is sensitive to mycotoxins, they could have an adverse reaction."
It is possible to remove small spots or patches of mould yourself, as long as they are no larger than the palm of your hand. Any attempt to remove larger infestations could put you at risk of aggravating mould spores, causing them to spread throughout your property, and only worsening the issue at hand.
Inhaling or touching mold or mold spores may cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. Allergic responses include hay fever-type symptoms, such as sneezing, runny nose, red eyes, and skin rash. Molds are usually not a problem indoors, unless mold spores land on a wet or damp spot and begin growing.
If you did touch mold with your bare skin, it's best to wash that area of skin immediately with soap and water and keep an eye on it for the next 24 hours to see if you develop any irritation.
During the cleanup of mold, many spores may be released into the air. To prevent health effects, there are several ways you can protect yourself while cleaning up the mold. Anyone with a chronic illness, such as asthma or emphysema, or who are immune comprised, should not do the cleanup.
Hydrogen peroxide, commonly used to disinfect wounds, is active against a wide variety of micro-organisms including mold. It acts by releasing oxygen at a rapid rate, which kills mold by oxidizing the surface and breaking down proteins and DNA.
If you're not wearing any Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), you're inviting all of those mold spores to settle on your clothing, the area you're cleaning, your shoes (allowing mold to travel to other areas in your home), in your eyes, and up your nose into your upper respiratory system.
This is why many toxicologists recommend homeowners treat moldy belongings ASAP. Damaged items should be thrown away without question, and items that are easy to replace or inexpensive (i.e. clothes, food) should be tossed as a precautionary measure. Basically, it's better to be safe than sorry.
Most yeasts and molds are heat-sensitive and destroyed by heat treatments at temperatures of 140-160°F (60-71°C).
Adults who live in moldy homes are up to 50 percent more likely to develop asthma. Children are even more likely to develop health issues like asthma and rhinitis. Mold exposure has also been associated with other upper respiratory infections, with symptoms that can range from sinus infections to sore throats.
Never take it for granted. Exposure to mold, especially black mold, can have a detrimental effect on your health. It can cause severe reactions to people who may not even know they're sensitive to it. Molds can cause an allergic reaction, making an individual cough and wheeze even without any prior health conditions.
Usually, no. If the food is porous (like bread) or moist (like jam), the surface mold you see has very likely permeated below the surface as well. Toss it out. There are a few exceptions, cases in which it's fine to remove the mold and eat the food.
It is possible for mold to spread when you try to clean it. Because spores spread through the air, haphazard or DIY cleaning methods could cause spores to enter the air and float to an unaffected surface or area.
Except for the most extreme of cases, it is highly unlikely that mold will kill you. Mold is a very common substance that most people come in contact with over the course of their lives, and even lengthy periods of exposure may not cause any side effects at all.
Vinegar is better at killing mold because it can work on both porous and nonporous surfaces. It also terminates molds at their roots so the mold won't return and is also safer than bleach. You can even combine it with baking soda to make it more effective.
It is impossible to get rid of all mold and mold spores indoors; some mold spores will be found floating through the air and in house dust. The mold spores will not grow if moisture is not present. Indoor mold growth can and should be prevented or controlled by controlling moisture indoors.
For a natural solution to getting rid of black mold, combine one part baking soda with five parts distilled white vinegar and five parts water in a spray bottle. Alternatively, you can use a chemical-based mold and mildew remover, all-purpose cleaners, bleach or dish soap.
Going forward with this assumption, the prescription for mold in the ancient Hebrew home was inspection (by the priest), identification (by shutting up the house and seeing if the mold grew), remediation (empty the house of everything valuable, remove the stones and plaster, and replace them with new stones and plaster ...
Mold spores are microscopic and can easily attach to your skin, particularly in damp and humid environments. If left unchecked, mold exposure can lead to various skin-related problems, some of which can become chronic or severe.
It irritates the nose and throat, which can lead to both sneezing and coughing as your body tries to get rid of the irritant. Inhaling mold spores can also trigger coughing in people with allergies or an asthma attack, for those with asthma.
If you or someone you know touched mold with bare hands, you should first immediately wash all the skin that touched it with soap and water. Then, monitor the skin to see if it becomes irritated or inflamed. If it does, you can try soothing the area with a moisturizing lotion, aloe vera, or an oatmeal bath.